Portable sewing box



March 30, 1954 R. E. HAWKINS 2,673,669 PORTABLE SEWING BOX Filed July 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l g 6 2 \\L\ W 8 l 9 L \mfl n f' 4 a i x ////////V////// lg. mag H Raymond Eugene Hawkins 1N VEN TOR.

March 30, 1954 R. E. HAWKINS 7 PORTABLE SEWING BOX Filed July 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

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BY 1MB Passed Mar. 30, 1954' UNITED STTiEld OFFICE PORTABLE SEWING Box Raymond Eugene Hawkins, Denver, Colo. Application July 18, 1952, Serial No. 299,599

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in portable sewing boxes for sewing accessories.

The primaryobject of my invention is to provide a light strong, covered box, small for easy carrying and convenient storing and which is equipped to contain in compact arrangement a large number of sewing accessories including spools of thread separate from the other accessories. the box embodying means whereby thread may be pulled off the spools out of the side of the box, external cutters on the box at the side thereof for convenient cutting of the threads pulled out of the box and so as to leave adequate loose ends outside the box for grasping to pull the threads, and means in the box preventing the loose ends from working back into the boxafter the threads are cut.

Another object isto provide a box having the above advantages and which is adapted for manufacture out of inexpensive transparent material rendering the contents of the box visible at all times.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming'part of this specification. In said drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved box in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating the manner in which thread from a selected spool is pulled out of the side of the box and cut;

Figure 4 is a view in plan partly broken away and illustrating the cover open and shown in section;

Figure 5 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the box of my invention comprises a hollow body 2 having a continuous side wall 3 and a bottom 4 extending outwardly of said wall 3 and forming an external ledge 5 around said wall. A cover 6 for the hollow body 2 is suitably hinged, as at I, to said wall 3 for opening and closing movement and is provided with a spring catch 8 adapted to snap into a notch 9 in said wall 3 to hold said cover closed.

An even number of likespindles I I are provided in the body 2 and which are suitably fixed in upstanding position in the bottom 4 and spaced apart around the wall 3 and from said wall so that spools of thread I2 may be rotatably sleeved onto the spindles in spaced apart relation and to rest on the bottom 4 in upright position. The spindles I I are equidistantly spaced apart to correspondingly space the spools of thread, I2.. The spindles II and spools of thread I2 are arranged in the lower portion of the body 2 for a particular purpose presently seen.

Thread exit and guide slots I3 extend downwardly in the side wall 3 from the upper edge thereof with lower closed ends I4 terminating in a common plane slightly above the upper ends I 5 of the spindles II. The slots I3 are arranged opposite the spindles II so that one of the slots is associated with each spindle II and the spool I2 thereon and said slots I3 incline downwardly in pairs in converging relation for a purpose presently seen. 7

Pairs of spaced apart cutting blades I! are inset horizontally in the ledge 5 to project into.

square notches I8 in said ledge with the cutting edges I9 of said blades facing and the pairs of blades being arranged intermediate the pairs of slots I3 so that the slots in each pair slant downwardly towardthe intermediate cutter blades,

A tray 2| is provided in the upper portion of the body 2 and which fits therein with a slight clearance, the bottom 22 of the tray resting on the upper ends I5 of the spindles II so that said tray is supported by the spindles. As best shown in Figure 6, the bottom 22 of the tray 2| is supported by the spindles I I slightly below the lower ends I4 of the exit and guide slots I3 so that a rounded bottom corner 23 of the tray coacts with the side wall 3 to frictionally grip threads pulled out of said slots I3 and thereby prevents such threads from working back through the slots I3 into said body. The tray 2| is divided by a suitable partition 24 for containing in separated arrangement different sewing accessories such as scissors, thimbles, buttons. and the like, not shown.

The described box is formed of any suitable, strong, transparent commercial plastic so that the contents of the box are readily visible therethrough and the box is preferably heart-shaped for rendering the same attractive and ornamental.

As will be readily apparent, when the tray 2| is removed, the spools I2 may be sleeved onto the spindles II and the terminal ends 26 of the will be prevented, in the manner previously described, from working back into said body 2. By having the exit and guiding slots l3 converging downwardly in pairs toward an intermediate pair' of cutter blades I7, raveling and breaking of the.

threads, by the edges of the slots, is revented when the threads are pulled against said blades; The tray 2i being supported byv the spindles ll, obviate separate supports for the tray, an important manufacturing consideration.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Maniiestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such'modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A sewing box comprising a hollow body including a continuous side 'wall and a bottom extending outwardly of said wall and forming a ledge extending around the body, a plurality of spindles in said body of less height than said wall upstanding from said bottom and spaced apartaround and-from'saidwall for sleeving spoolsof thread onto the same forest on said bottom in spaced relation, said wall having downwardly extending slots therein opposite and associated with the spindles and having closed lower. ends through which thread from the spools may be pulled out of said body, cutter blades mounted in said ledge between contiguous slots and against which the thread may be pulled and cut to' provide loose ends of thread outside the body; and a tray in said body for containing other sewing accessories resting on said spindles and having a bottom edge spaced-below the lower ends of said slots and from said wall for coacting t with said wall to frictionally engage the threads and prevent said loose ends from working back into said body.

2. A sewing box according to claim 1, said slots inclining downwardly in pairs and said blades being arranged intermediate the pairs of slots to prevent cutting of the threads by said slots when the threads are pulled against the said blades.

3. A sewing box accordingto claim 1, said ledge having edge notches therein into which said blade project in the plane of the ledge to facilitate engaging the threads with said blades.

4. A sewing box comprising a hollow body including a continuous side wall and a bottom having a peripheral edge extending around said wall, a plurality of spindles in said body of less height than said wall upstanding from said bottom and-spaced apart around and from said wall for sleeving spool-s of thread onto the same to rest on said bottom-in spaced relation, said wall havingdownwardly extending slots therein opposite and associated with the spindles and having closed lower ends through which thread from the spoolsmay be pulled out of said body, pairs of cutter blades mounted in said peripheral edge between contiguous slots'with the cutter blades in each pair horizontal and having cutting edges confronting in the pairs, and a tray in said body' for containing sewing accessories resting on said spindles and having a bottom edge spaced below the lower ends of the slots and from said wall for coacting with said wall to frictionally engage the threads opposite said slots and prevent the threads pulled out of the slots from working back into said body, said spindles having upper ends lying in a common plane below'the lower ends of said slots to support said tray with said edge below the lower ends of the s ots.-

RAYMOND EUGENE HAWKINS.

References'cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date I 1,302,305 Byers Apr. 29, 1919 1,856,486 Lapkin May 3, 1932 2,537,940 Peak Jan. '9, 1951 

